Exposition of Job 38-42, Commentary on Job · Chapter 38 · Verse 16-18
JOB, Chap. 38. Verſ. 16, 17, 18.
16. Haſt thou entred the ſprings of the Sea? or haſt thou walked in the ſearch of the depth?
17. Have the gates of death been opened unto thee? or hast thou ſeen the doors of the ſhadow of death?
18. Hast thou perceived the breadth of the earth? declare, if thou knowest … all.
IN the former Context the Lord made a ſhort d…greſſion from thoſe queſtionings with which he had begun with Job, concerning his Works; the occaſion whereof was the mentioning of the wicked, who improved not, but abuſed his works.
In this Context the Lord returns to his former way of interrogating Job, and having queſtioned him about the birth or production of the Sea, the bands and bounds of the Sea, at the 8th 9th 10th and 11th verſes, he queſtions him here,
Firſt, About the depth of, the unſearchable depth of the Sea (verſ. 16, 17.)
Secondly, About the vaſt breadth of the Earth (verſ. 18.)
Thereby to convince Job, that he, not being able to reach the depth of thoſe mighty waters, nor to comprehend the breadth of the earth, was much leſs able to comprehend the depth of thoſe counſels, or the breadth of thoſe ways of providence in which himſelf had been walking towards him. That's the general ſcope and ſum of theſe three verſes, as alſo of all that follow, as hath been ſhewed formerly.
The laſt thing about which the Lord put the queſtion, was the Light, whereby hidden and ſecret things are diſcovered; here the queſtion is about things that lie out of the light, about hidden and ſecret things; all which yet are more plain and obvious to, more open and naked before the eye of God, with whom we have to do, than the Noon-day light to us.
foreign Numqu…d ingreſſus es, vel penetr…ſt…?Verſ. 16. Haſt thou entred into the ſprings of the ſea?
Haſt thou? Doubtleſs thou haſt not, nor haſt thou any mind to enter into thoſe ſprings? Who hath? Haſt thou entred or penetrated the ſprings of the ſea? There is a twofold entring into the ſprings of the ſea, or into any thing that lies remote from us.
Fi…ſt, A Local.
Secondly, An Intellectual entring.
To be ſure, Job had not locally entred the ſprings of the ſea; and it was as ſure, that he was not able to make any perfect intellectual entrance thither. When therefore the Lord asked Job this queſtion,Opartet judicem noſſe ea de qui…us judica… us eſt: tu vo… judicas de operibus mo is, cum ea non noris. …atabl. Haſt thou entred into the ſprings of the ſea? it is as if he had ſaid, It becomes him that makes a judgement upon any matter, to enter into it either locally to view it with the eye, or intellectually to view it with his underſtanding; but thou, O Job, haſt neither of theſe ways entred into the ſprings of the ſea, and there d…ſcovered how the waters flow or riſe up out of the earth: how then canſt thou make up a judgement about the waters? and if not, what judgment canſt thou make up concerning my deep counſels, concerning the ſecret ſprings of my judgements?
Haſt thou entred into the ſprings of the ſea?
foreign Ad plor…ta, i. e. lacrymas m…ri…. Druſ.There is an elegancy in the word rendred ſprings, which ſome derive from a root which ſignifies to weep or ſhed tears: Haſt tho… entred among the tears o… weeping places of the ſea? The ſame word in the Hebrew ſignifies an eye,Aliqui foreign fluenta, non a flendo, ſed a foreign perplex…m eſſe deducunt. Et reddunt perplexitates m…ris. Senſus eodem recidit, ſed Grammatica magis quadrat ut a foreign flevit deſtectatur. M…rc. as alſo a ſpring or fountain; becauſe as the eye drops, yea pours out tears (David ſaith, Rivers of tears run down mine eyes) ſo, ſprings pour out waters, and are, as it were, weeping continually. Others derive the word from a root, which ſignifieth to be infolden or intangled; and ſo they render it, Haſt thou entred into the perplexities or intricacies of the ſea? Pharaoh uſed that word in the Verb (Exod. 14.3.) concerning the people of Iſrael, They are intangled or perplexed in the land: he thought he had caught them in the briars, and ſhould have had his will, or ſatisfied his luſt on them. The ſenſe is much the ſame, whether we read the ſprings or the perplexities and intricate places of the ſea; both tending to the ſame purpoſe, to ſhew Job his utter incompetency and inability for ſuch an adventure. Haſt thou entred into the ſprings Of the ſea?
The ſea is a conſluence of many waters, the great veſſel which God prepared to hold the multitude of waters, as was ſhewed before at the eighth verſe; onelyonly take notice,M…re dicitur J…mim voce deducta à Maiim tranſpoſitis quibuſdam literis. that the word which ſignifies the ſea, is compoſed of the ſame letters (a little tranſpoſed) with that which ſignifies the water. The ſea being the gathering together of waters, and water being the ſubſtance of the Sea, one word in ſubſtance ſerves them both in the Hebrew tongue. Yet others ſay it alludes, at leaſt, to a word ſignifying to make a noiſe, or to roar; ſeas and floods make a terrible noiſe and roa…ing. David aſcribes a voice to the floods (Pſal. 93.3.) The floods have lifted up, O Lord, the floods have lifted up their voices. Theſe grammatical criticiſms about words have their uſe, giving ſome light about the nature and qualities of things. But to the Text, Haſt thou entred into the ſprings of the ſea?
And haſt thou walked in the ſearch of the depth?foreign abyſſus, vorago, altittulo, expers fundi.
This latter part of the verſe is of the ſame importance with the former. The ſprings of the ſea, and the ſearch of the depth, have little, if any, difference, and walking follows upon entring; therefore the Lord having ſaid, Hast thou entred into the ſprings of the ſea? ſaith, Haſt thou walked, &c.
But more diſtinctly, what is the ſearch and what the depth? The depth, is the ſea, where 'tis deepeſt, ſo deep that no bottom can be found by ſounding. The word rendred here ſearch, notes the laſt o… utmoſt of any thing, and ſo the deepeſt of the depth, which poſſibly may be called the ſearch of the depth, becauſe how much or how long ſoever it is ſearched for, it cannot be found out. Mr. Broughton renders it, The border of the ſea; the Vulgar Latine, The laſt or utmoſt of the depth. Haſt thou walked there? We walk on dry land and in pleaſant fields:Et in noviſſimis abyſſi deambulaſti Vulg. i. e. in infimis ejus partibus. Aquin. Some artificial parts of the earth are by way of eminence called walks, becauſe they are purpoſely fitted by art to walk in. But who can walk in the ſearches of the depth? Are there any under-water-walkes?
Vox foreign ſignificat aliquid quaerere & inveſtigare uſque ad fundum & n…viſſimum.To clear theſe words a little further, we may conſider two other readings or tranſlations of them.
Firſt, Thus, Haſt thou walked in the depth by ſearch? that is, Haſt thou found out a way to go to the bottom of the ſea by curious ſearch and diligent enquiry? Haſt thou by thy skill diſcovered how deep the ſea is? Haſt thou let down thy line and plummet to fathom it, and then deſcended into it? I know thou haſt not.
An ad dimetiendum abyſſum ambulaſti. Heb. in inveſtigatione, i. e. ad inveſtigandum. Codurc.Secondly, Haſt thou walked to ſearch the deep? that is, Haſt thou gone down to the bottom of the ſea, and there diſcovered the ſecret and hidden paths of it? I know (thy anſwer muſt be) Thou haſt not. Haſt thou entred into the ſprings of the ſea? or haſt thou walked in the ſearch of the depth?
Hence Note, Firſt; There are ſecrets or depths in the ſea, beyond mens ſearching or finding out.
The ſea in many parts of it may be ſearched. Some have been at the bottom of it, many have let down a line to the bottom of it; yet it is uſual in Scripture to ſpeak of the ſea as a thing unſearchable, or ſo deep, that none can find the depth of it. The ſea is ſo deep, that it is ſometimes called the depth (chap. 28.1.) The depth ſaith (that is, the Sea ſaith) it (that is, wiſdom) is not in me. 'Tis alſo called the deep (Luke 5.4. chap. 8.31.) That is very deep, which is called the deep; and that's of an unſearchable depth, which is called the depth. Such a depth, ſo deep is the ſea, that no man knows how deep, or what the depth of it is?
Now, if we cannot reach the depth of the natural ſea, then (which is the ſcope of this place) ſurely there are depths and ſecrets in the ways and counſels of God, which no man can earch or find out. David (Pſal. 139.9.) ſpeaking of the Omſo preſence of God, ſaith, Whither ſhall I go from thy preſence? If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermoſt parts of the ſea; there ſhall thy hand find me. There is no depth, no breadth, but God can find it out; but how little of the depth or breadth of God can we find out! (Pſal. 36.6.) Thy judgements are a great deep; that is, thou O Lord doſt terrible things in judgement as angry, yet ſuch righteous things, as juſt and wiſe, that 'tis very hard for any, and impoſſible for the many, or moſt of men to ſee the reaſon of them. And doubtleſs, it was the deep of his own divine judgements that God intended to lead Job to, when he ſpake here of the depth of the Sea. We read what the Apoſtle was forced to, when he was but, as it were, dipping his feet into this ſea of the Counſels and Judgements of God, even to cry out, O the depth (Rom. 11.33.) As if he had ſaid, I dare not enter into the ſprings of this ſea, nor into the ſearch of this depth. O the depth of the riches both of the wiſdom and knowledge of God! how unſearchable are his judgements, and his ways paſt finding out! This was Davids expreſs Confeſſion concerning the providential way of God, His way is in the ſea, and his path in the great waters, and his footſteps are not known (Pſal. 77.19.) Goings upon the water leave no print behind them, we cannot obſerve a track in the ſea. God walks ſometimes as upon the land, we may eaſily diſcern his footſteps, and ſee whe…e he hath gone: But he often walks as upon the ſea, where no man can ſee his paths, nor are his footſteps known. The Lord is known by the judgement which he executeth (Pſal. 9.16.Profunditas maris rei obſcuriſſimae & ignotiſſimae humanae intelligentiae ſoli deo perſpectae ſymbolum.) yet his judgements are ſeldome known, they are a great deep, a ſea. The ſea is a clear emblem of all obſcure and unknown things, eſpecially of thoſe ways of God which are too deep for our diſcovery, and lie beyond the reach of our knowledge. And indeed, as ſoon may we hold the ſea in the hollow of our hand, or lade it dry with a Cockle-ſhell, as comprehend the deep counſels of God, and the myſteries of providence, by which they are acted and effected in our ſhallow underſtanding. OnelyOnly what we cannot attain, either by ſenſe or reaſon, we may underſtand by faith, as the Apoſtle ſaith, We do that the worlds were made by the Word of God (Heb. 11.3.) Who is able, any other way than by believing, to enter into thoſe ſprings, or walk in the ſearch of thoſe depths?
Secondly, Learn this from it; There is nothing a ſecret unto God.
That which here is denied to Job, is to be affirmed of God. Job knew not thoſe ſecrets, but God knew them. Job himſelf ſaid (chap. 9.8.) God treadeth upon the waves (or as the Hebrew is, the heights) of the ſea. Here the Lord intimateth that he walketh in the depth of the ſea: Both ſet forth his glory. God commands from top to bottom, he treads upon the waves aloft; he walks in the depths below, nothing can eſcape either his Power or his Eye. It is the ſole priviledge of God to walk in the ſearch of the ſea, that is, to find out and plainly to diſcern the moſt ſecret things. And by him the moſt unſearchable depths are ſearched out, or rather, are known to him without ſearch. He knoweth even the depth of mans heart, which is the greateſt depth in the world, next to the depth of his own heart. God enters into the ſprings of that ſea, the Sea of mans heart, and walketh in the ſearch of that depth. There are innumerable ſprings in the heart of man, which bubble up, and ſend forth their ſtreams of good or evil continually; all which the Lord ſees more plainly than we ſee any thing that is done above ground, or in the open light. Moſes doth not onelyonly report (Gen. 6.5.) That God ſaw the wickedneſs of man was great in the earth (that is, that his outward practiſes o… converſation was very wicked) bu… that he ſaw every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was onelyonly evil continually. Conſider, God ſaw not onelyonly the thoughts of man, but every imagination (which is the leaſt thing imaginable) of mans thoughts. He ſaw (as the word which we render imigination properly ſignifies) every figment, every little creature which the thoughts of mans heart was about to frame; and O how many, how exceeding many, or innumerable, are they! yet God ſaw not onelyonly ſome, or many, but every one of them. It was ſaid by one of the Ancients upon this place,Profundum m… ris deu… ingredit…r, qu…ndo viſitare mentes etiam preſſ… ſceleribus non dedignatur. Greg. l. 29. c. 7 God goes to the depth of the ſea, as often as he goeth into the depth of mans heart, and beholds what is there. And there …e beholds not onelyonly the great but ſmall beaſts (as the Pſalmiſt calls the fiſh of the ſea) that is, not onelyonly great but ſmall luſts and fooliſh imaginations: the huge multitudes and ſhoals of vain thoughts which ſwim and play in that wide ſea of mans heart, are diſtinctly ſeen, and as diſtinctly judged, as if but one were there.
Thirdly, From the ſcope of this place, note; That ſeeing we cannot ſearch into the depth of the ſea, it ſhould ſtay our curioſity in ſearching into, and ſtay us from diſcontent, when we cannot find the depth of Gods Counſels concerning us, and of his Providences towards us.
There is a dutiful ſearch into the Works of God. David ſpeaks of it (Pſal. 111.2.) The works of the Lord are great, ſought out of all thoſe that have pleaſure in them. They are ſought out; that is, they who have pleaſure in them, do and will endeavour ſoberly to ſearch them out; as much as may be; but let all take heed of ſearching them wantonly or preſumptuouſly, that is, either to ſatisfie their curioſity, or with an opinion that they can reach the depth of them. The Lord would have us ſatisfie our ſelves in the ignorance, or rather neſcience of thoſe natural things which he hath not made known to us. Surely then (which is, as hath been ſaid, the ſcope of this Chapter) we ſhould be ſatisfied, though we in ſome caſes know not, nor can perceive the reaſon of Gods providential dealings, either towa…ds particular perſons and families, or his Church in general. Will any wiſe or ſober man vex and diſquiet himſelf, will he be angry and pettiſh, becauſe he knows not all the ſecrets of the ear…h and ſea? (as ſome ſay Ariſtotle the Philoſopher was to death and drowning, becauſe he could not find out the reaſon why the ſea in one place ebbed and ſlowed ſeven times in one day) Why then ſhould we be impatient, becauſe the reaſon of Gods proceedings with the ſons of men, or of the ſtrange ebbings and ſlowings of things in the ſea of this world, is ſecreted and hidden f…om us. And therefore when we are not able to enter into the ſprings of this ſea, nor to walk in the ſearch of this depth, let it not trouble us, but humble us, as it did Job, to whom the Lord put theſe queſtions, and proceeded to put more and more hard queſtions, if harder can be, in the next words.
Verſ. 17. Have the gates of death been opened (or revealed) unto thee? Or haſt thou ſeen the doors of the ſhadow of death?
Here is another ſtrange queſtion. Who among the living hath had the gates of death opened to him? O… hath viewed the doors of the ſhadow of death?
We read often in Scripture of the gates of death. (Pſal. 9.13.Num illius profunda, quae verè dixirim mortis regiam, &c. rimatus es. Bez. Pſal. 107.18.) and which is all one, of the gates of the grave, (Iſa. 38.10.) but who knows what theſe gates are? yet we may ſay ſomething towards the clearing of this queſtion. A gate in ſtrict ſenſe, is that by which we are admitted into any place: and ſo, the gates of death are,
That, whatſoever it is, by which we enter into death, or go into the black hall of the grave.
Again, The gates of death are any great and eminent danger. Then we may be ſaid to be at the gates of death, when our lives are in great hazard to be loſt, either by the violence of enemies, or by any violent ſickneſs.
In the former ſenſe David ſpake (in way of ſupplication, Pſal. 9.13.) Have mercy on me, O Lord, conſider my trouble, which I ſuffer of them that hate me, thou that lifteſt me up from the gates of death; that is, from deadly danger. In the latter he ſpake by way of narration, in his elegant deſcription of the ſick, (Pſal. 107.18.) Their ſoul abhorreth all manner of meat, and they draw near unto the gates of death; that is, they are ready to die, or ſick unto death. And thus ſaid King Hezekiah upon his ſick-bed, and as he thought (a little before) upon his death-bed, (Iſa. 38.10.) I ſhall go to the gates of the grave, I am deprived of the reſidue of my years; that is, of thoſe years which I might have reckoned upon as mine, according to the common account of mans life, or the uſual courſe of nature.
Theſe are the more general gates of death, and about theſe all agree.
But there are ſeveral opinions, what ſhould be ſpecially intended by the gates of death in this place.
Portae mortis ſunt cauſae corruptionis, quantum advirtutes corporum …leſtium. Aquin. in loc.Firſt, One riſeth very high, ſaying, that by the gates of death we are to underſtand the viſible heavens; becauſe the heavenly bodies ſend down ſometimes malignant influences, which have a mighty power to corrupt the bodies of men here below, ſo cauſing death to carry them away. Thus he imagins death iſſuing out of the clouds, as out of opened gates, upon men on earth; But that's a far fetcht interpretation.
Secondly, O…hers go to the utmoſt contrary point, and ſay, by the gates of death we are to underſtand Hell. The Papiſts give a deſcription of ſeveral receptacles for ſouls departed under the earth, they make at leaſt three diſtinctions;
Firſt, Limbus Patrum, The place where they affi…m the ſouls of the Fathers were before Chriſt came in the fleſh, and had accompliſhed the work of our redemption here on earth.
Secondly, Purgatory, the place where the ſouls of all that die not in mortal ſin (as they diſtinguiſh) are reſerved to be purged by temporary puniſhments, before they can get to heaven.
Thirdly, The loweſt of all, is that which we call Hell, the place of the damned, whither all go (ſay they, and we too) who die in ſin without repentance. This place of torment, ſome take for the gates of death. But ſeeing the Lord is here ſpeaking of natural things, not of moral actions, not of the conſequents of them, rewards and puniſhments; therefore (though we may truly call Hell the gates or power of death, yet) that notion as well as the former is altogether heterogeneal in this Text.
Thirdly, Several expound the gates of death, in connection with the former verſe, for the depth or bottom of the ſea, where many dead carcaſes lie rotting; all ſuch as are caſt away by ſhipwracks, or die at ſea, being uſually thrown into the deep; and therefore at laſt the ſea ſhall give up her dead, as well as the earth.
Fourthly, The gates of death ſignifie ſay others, nothing elſe but the grave, or thoſe lower parts of the earth, in which mens bodies deceaſed are buried and laid up to reſt till the reſurrection. When we, that are earth in our conſtitution,Per portas mortis int…lliguntur loca ſubterraneana, eò quòd ibimortui ſe peliuntur. Piſc. Dicuntur portae mortis, i. e. mortuorum. go out of the world by diſſolution, our return is into the earth, into the lower parts of the earth, we ſleep in the duſt. According to this ſenſe it is as if the Lord had ſaid, Haſt thou ſeen the ſtate of the dead, or how it fares with them that are gone to their graves? Haſt thou viſited the courts and palaces of the King of terrors? Thus the gates of death are the gates of the dead.
Fifthly, We may underſtand by the gates of death in general,An noſti quae fiunt in viſceribus terrae. Vatabl. whatſoever is moſt remote and fartheſt off from our ſight and view. As if the Lord, who ſaid before, Haſt thou entred into the ſprings of the ſea? had ſaid here, Haſt thou entred into the bowels or deepeſt abyſſes of the earth, which are dark and uncomfortable, as the grave, or like the very gates of death? Knoweſt thou, or canſt thou tell me what is done, or how things go there?Portae mortis & umbrae mortis ſunt ea loca, ad quae vivus non penetrat, quae nulla lux …radiat, &c. Coc.
Or haſt thou ſeen the doors of the ſhadow of death?
Theſe words are of a like intendment with the former: The gates of death, and the doors of the ſhadow of death, are the ſame thing under a little difference of expreſſion. What the ſhadow of death is, hath been ſhewed (chap. 3.5.) as al…o (c…p. 10.21.) thither I refer the Reader. Haſt thou ſeen the doors of the ſhadow of death? Surely thou haſt not? Thou neither deſireſt, nor dareſt viſit the doors leading to thoſe diſmal ſhadows, which no light can pierce, or where (as Job ſpake, chap. 10.21.) The light is as darkneſs. The ſcope of both the queries in this verſe is the ſame alſo with thoſe in the former, even to repulſe Jobs curioſity in ſearching into the ſecrets of God, or to convince him that God had ſecrets which were no more opened to him than the gates of death, and which he could ſee no more than the doors of the ſhadow of death. Haſt thou ſeen the doors of the ſhadow of death? Taking death in a proper ſenſe,
Note, Fi…ſt; Bodyly death hath gates and doors, paſſages and entrances into it.
Deadly ſickneſſes and extream dangers are (as was ſhewed in opening the words) thoſe gates and doors. Many have been brought to thoſe gates, and have been ſtepping into thoſe ſhadows, who yet have been recalled and brought back again, as David and Hezekiah were, and as the Apoſtle Paul was, who had the ſentence of death in himſelf, yet was delivered, truſting in him who raiſeth the dead (2 Cor. 1.9, 10.)
And therefore in all ſuch caſes, whenever we are brought to the gates of death, and to the doors of the ſhadow of death, let us have recourſe to the living God; to that God, to whom belong the iſſues from death (Pſal. 68.20.) He that is our God, is the God of ſalvation, of eternal ſalvation, and of temporal ſalvation, of ſalvation from death by ſickneſs, and of ſalvation from death by danger and trouble: our God is the God of ſalvation, to him belong the iſſues from death. As God openeth the gates of death to let man in, ſo he can open the gates of death to let man out. As there is a gate to go in unto, ſo there is a gate to go out from, or an out-gate from death. As the ways to, ſo the iſſues from death belong to God. Davids heart was full of this, when having ſaid (Pſal. 141.7.) Our bones are ſcattered at the graves mouth, as when one cutteth and cleaveth wood upon the earth; that is, we are ready to be cut in pieces and periſh by our enemies (having (I ſay) ſaid this, he preſently adds, verſ. 8, 9.) But mine eyes are unto thee O God the Lord, in thee is my truſt; leave not my ſoul deſtitute, keep me from the ſnare which they have laid for me, &c. It is the royal priviledge of Jeſus Chriſt, to be key-keeper of the grave (Rev. 1.18.) I have the keys of hell and of death; that is, I have power to deliver over to, and to deliver or keep from both hell and death. The keys are an emblem of power and authority. Stewards have the keys. He that hath the keys of death, can deliver from death.
Secondly, Taking death properly, note; No living man knoweth how or in what way he ſhall die.
The gates of death are not revealed to any man; he hath no certainty by what means he ſhall paſſe out of this world to the grave; he cannot tell through what gate he ſhall go, whether through the gate of a natural death, or of a violent death, as Chriſt ſpake to Peter (John 21.18.) When thou waſt young, thou girdeſt thy ſelf, and wenteſt whether thou wouldeſt; but when thou ſhalt be old, another ſhall gird thee, and carry thee whether thou wouldſt not: this ſpake he, ſignifying by what death he ſhould glorifie God. Peter did not know what death he ſhould die, whether a natural or a violent death, till Chriſt ſignified it to him. And if man knoweth not at what kind of gate he ſhall enter the houſe of death, that is, whether by ſickneſs or violence, then much leſs doth he know the particular ſickneſſe or violence, by which, as a gate, he muſt paſs into the houſe of death; theſe things the Lord keeps in his own hand. And ſeeing we know not theſe gates of death, we ſhould alwayes pray that we may know the path of life (Pſal. 16.11.) Thou wilt ſhew me the path of life, was Davids aſſurance as a type of Chriſt. And though Chriſt ſhould not ſhew any man the gate of his own temporal death, yet he ſheweth every godly man the path of eternal life, and that's enough for us.
Thirdly, Note; God onelyonly knoweth when, how, and in what way we ſhall die, as alſo what the ſtate and condition of the dead is.
Death is the darkeſt and obſcureſt thing in the world. The grave is a gloomy place, and filled not only with natural but metaphorical darkneſs: yet all is light to God, he knows the gates of death, and the ſtate of the dead (Prov. 15.11.) The grave and deſtruction are before the Lord; how much more the hearts of the children of men!
Fourthly, Taking the gates of death generally, for any ſecret or hidden thing,
Note; Man knoweth no more than God revealeth to him.
When God puts the queſtion, Have the gates of death been opened or revealed to thee? it is as if he had ſaid, thou canſt not know them unleſs they are opened to thee. And who can open them, if I my ſelf do not? As all the myſteries of the Goſpel are hidden from us, till God is pleaſed to reveal them; ſo in nature there are many things which are myſteries and ſecrets to us, till God makes them known to us. And there are ſome things which God will no more open to us, than he hath the gates of death, or the doors of the ſhadow of death. And if ſo, then, as God will never blame us for not knowing thoſe things which he hath hidden, ſo we ſhould not buſie our ſelves with any enquiries about hidden things. Though the ſecret of the Lord be with thoſe that fear him (Pſal. 25.14.) yet they that fear him, will not, dare not meddle with, nor ſearch into the Lords ſecret. Therefore,
Laſtly, Obſerve; Whatſoever God is not pleaſed to reveal to us, or is pleaſed to hide from us, that we ſhould be content not to know, and be ſatisfied that it is hidden from us.
(Deut. 29.29.) The ſecret things belong unto the Lord our God; but thoſe things which are revealed, belong unto us and our children for ever. It is both our duty and our intereſt, to be content with our own ſhare, or to be ſatisfied with what belongs to us, and not to invade Gods peculiars or reſerves. It was Jobs fault, he would be entring into the ſecrets of God, but ſaith God, Have the gates of death been opened unto thee, or haſt thou ſeen the doors of the ſhadow of death? if not, then be not troubled that thoſe things are not opened to thee, which I have reſerved to my ſelf. God hath not ſtraitned us in any needful point of knowledge, there is enough opened to us, though the gates of death be not. Is it not enough for us, that in the glaſs of the Goſpel, God hath ſet before us, the myſteries of eternal ſalvation, unleſs he alſo acquaint us in the day of our trial (which was Jobs caſe) with all the whole myſtery of his temporal diſpenſations?
The Lord having urged Job with theſe hard queſtions about the depth of the Sea and the gates of death, ſeems now to offer him a more eaſie queſtion in the next verſe.
Verſ. 18. Haſt thou perceived the breadth of the earth? Declare if thou knoweſt it all.foreign. Sept. Sic terram elegantèr circumloquuntur; n…m qui quid ſub coelo …re…, terra eſt, …er terram ambit. Druſ.
The Septuagint render, Haſt thou perceived the breadth of that which is under the heavens? Under the Cope or Canopy of the heavens. Haſt thou perceived how broad that is which is ſpanned or compaſſed about by the heavens; that is, as we tranſlate, the breadth of the earth. That which is circled or ſu… rounded by the aereal heavens is the earth: Haſt thou perceived the breadth of that. Though the earth be better known to man than the depth of the ſea; yet no man ever ſaw the whole earth. Many parts of the earth are deſerts and unpaſſable by man. The beſt Writers ſay the whole compaſs of the earth is 21600 miles; yet that is rather a ſuppoſition, than a demonſtration; no man having ever viſited or viewed the whole face of the earth. We find (Job 11.9.) length aſcribed to the earth, and breadth to the ſea; But in this place the Lord having aſcribed depth to the ſea, gives breadth to the earth. We are not here to take the breadth of the earth, according to the rules of Geography; for ſo the length of the earth is from Eaſt to Weſt,Terrae latitudo hoc in loc…, eſt univerſus terrae ambitus. foreign Pluralis a foreign latitudo In qualibet re major dimenſ…o voc…tur longitudo, minor latitudo. Aqui…. and the breadth from North to South; but breadth is here put ſinecdochically for all the dimenſions, or the whole circumference of the Earth. As it the Lord had ſaid, Doſt thou know how big, how ſpacious the Earth is? The breadth of the Earth imports the largeneſs of it, oppoſed to ſtraitneſs or narrowneſs; and to ſhew that here the breadth contains all dimenſions, the word is in the Plural Number, Haſt thou known the breadths of the Earth, that is, the whole compaſs of it, how broad and how long, and ſo how big the Earth is? Haſt thou perceived the breadth of the Earth?
Hence Note, Firſt; The earth is a huge vaſt body.
That is very big, whoſe bigneſs is not eaſily perceived, if at all perceivable; and ſuch is the breadth or bigneſs of the earth. Whence take this double Inference;
Firſt, If the earth be ſuch a great thing, that a man cannot perceive the breadth or dimenſions of it, then how great are the heavens! The earth in compariſon of the heavens is but as a point, 'tis as little as is imaginable. O what a broad thing is heaven, if the earth be ſuch, that we cannot reach the breadth of it!
Secondly, If the earth be ſo great, how great is God, who made the heavens and the earth too! That's it which God would lead Job to the conſideration of, even of his own infinite greatneſs. How great is God, who made this great earth! To him (as the prophet Iſaiah ſpeaks, chap. 40.15, 16.) The Nations, the people (of the earth) are but as the drop of a bucket, and as the duſt of the ballance: He weighs the mountains in ſcales, and the hills in a ballance: He holds the duſt as one ſingle grain in his hand. What a nothing are all things to God, ſeeing the earth is a nothing to the heavens! God puts the queſtion to Job, Haſt thou perceived the breadth of the earth? and we may put that queſtion into this negative Propoſition, O Job, Thou haſt not perceived the breadth of the earth. The wiſeſt of men know not the breadth or bigneſs of the earth. Some have undertaken to tell us how great the circle of the earth is; but theirs are but gueſſes: though ſomewhat may be ſaid that way, yet no man can give it exactly; and therefore the Roman Orator attempting to write about the earth and the dimenſions of it, prefaceth or apologizeth thus for himſelf;De Geographia dabo operam ut tibi ſatisfaciam, ſed nihil certi polliceor; magnum opus eſt. Cicero ad Atticum. l. 2. ep. 4. I will do my endeavour to ſatisfie thee about Geography, or the dimenſions of the earth, but I promiſe nothing of certainty, 'tis a great work. Haſt thou known the breadth of the earth?
Declare if thou knoweſt it all.
As if the Lord had ſaid, I have put the queſtion to thee; come now anſwer me, declare what thou knoweſt, let me know what her thou knoweſt it all. God provokes or challengeth Job to ſay his utmoſt. We may refer theſe laſt words either ſtrictly to the immediate queſtion only, or generally to all the queſtions before; yet I conceive they are rather to be reſtrained to the laſt queſtion concerning the breadth of the earth, becauſe they run in the ſingular number, Declare if thou knoweſt it all, that is, if thou knoweſt all of the earth. There were many pa…ts of the earth, which Job knew not at all; therefore he could not know it all. We at this day after all the improvements which have been made by Navigation (little in uſe in Jobs days) for the diſcove…y of the earth, are yet forced to write upon ſome places (as we may ſee in our beſt Maps of the World) Terra incognita, this part of the earth is unknown. If we now do not, ſurely Job then did not know it all.
Further, When the Lord ſaith, Declare if thou knoweſt it all, his meaning is not, If thou haſt any knowledge at all about it all; for there is no wiſe, no underſtanding man, but hath ſome meaſu…e or degree of knowledge as about the depth of the Sea, ſo about the breadth and meaſures of the Earth: but the meaning of theſe words, Declare, if thou knoweſt it all, is, if thou knoweſt the all of it, if thou knoweſt it throughly: For, as theſe words have reference to the object to be known, ſo to the manner of knowing. There are many that know ſomething, and ſome that know many things; yet none that know all things, no not the all of any one thing. The Apoſtle ſpeaking of ſpiritual things, ſaith, We know in part; and the truth is, we know but a part of natural things, of the ſea, of the earth, and we know them but in part. So then, when the Lord ſaith, If thou knoweſt it all, his meaning may be this, if thou haſt a diſtinct and demonſtrative knowledge of the thing, Declare it. I know thou mayeſt give conjectures, and propoſe probabilities; but I know alſo, that thou neither knoweſt it all, nor the all of it. God hath given us a certain knowledge about things that refer to eternity, and to ſalvation, to them we muſt ſtick and abide by them; but as to theſe things, all that we know, is but little, and about that little we labour under many uncertainties. Declare if thou knoweſt it all.
Hence Obſerve, Firſt; God is willing that man ſhould make the beſt of himſelf.
God was ready to hear Job what he could anſwer to his Queſtion. When God put the queſtion to Adam (Gen. 3.11.) Haſt thou eaten of the tree whereof I commanded thee, that thou ſhouldeſt not eat? And when he put queſtions to Cain (Gen. 4.6.) Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? As alſo (verſ. 9.) Where is Abel thy brother? He was ready to hear what ei…her the one or the other could ſay for themſelves; nor would he have cut them ſhort in their plea, if they could have pleaded any thing for their juſtification. Now, as God was willing to hear what they could anſwer to his queſtions about their evil works; ſo he is willing to hear what any can anſwer (which was Jobs caſe) to the queſtions which he propoſeth about his own works, and their behaviour under them.
Secon…ly, From the ſcope of the words, Note; The moſt knowing men know but little of that which they know.
As we know nothing at all of ſome things, ſo there is nothing of which we know the all, or of which we have a perfect knowledge, a knowledge, to which nothing can be added. They who know moſt of any thing, know almoſt nothing of it; How far then are they from knowing it all! David having ſpoken of the knowledge of God (Pſal. 139.2, 3, 4, 5.) concludes (verſ. 6.) Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it. Man is ſo far from an ability to attain ſuch a knowledge as God hath, the knowledge of the moſt ſecret things of man, the knowledge of his thoughts afar off; that he is not able to attain the perfect knowledge of the plaineſt things. We muſt ſtay for perfect knowledge, till we come to another ſtate, when all clouds of ignorance ſhall be ſcattered, when we ſhall ſee no more through a glaſs darkly, but face to face; when we ſhall know all that is to be known of God, and of the Works of God; when we ſhall be enabled to declare all our knowledge about them, and to give proof that we know them all.
Truly to know God the onelyonly true God, and Jeſus Christ, whom he hath ſent, is eternal life, while we live here in this world, but to know the true God, and Jeſus Chriſt, whom he hath ſent, fully, yea to know any thing fully, is reſerved for us in that eternal life which we wait for in the world to come.
There are three things, which make up the happineſs of our ſoul-ſtate in eternal life.
Firſt, The due order of the Affections, when they ſhall ever be ſet upon right objects, and upon them in a right meaſure.
Secondly, The due motion of the Will, when it ſhall ever chuſe that which is good, and nothing but good.
Thirdly, The clear and unerring light of the Underſtanding. The proper object of the Underſtanding is truth. The chief ornament and delight of the Underſtanding is the knowledge of the truth. And the Underſtanding is not more debaſed and diſhonoured by not endeavouring to know, than an underſtanding man is vexed and troubled, when he cannot compaſs the knowledge of that which he deſires and endeavours to know. Indeed Solomon (the moſt knowing man among all the ſons of men) hath concluded (Eccleſ. 1.15.) That in much wiſdome there is much grief, and that he that encreaſeth knowledge, encreaſeth ſorrow. Yet this grief and ſorrow ariſe not from knowledge attained, but from the great pains, ſtudy, and travel, which we take in this world for the attainment of it; or from the doubts and uncertainties which remain in our minds about many things, when we have got the beſt and cleareſt knowledge of them attainable in this life: Whereas in our heavenly ſtate, we ſhall neither have any trouble in getting knowledge, nor ſhall any doubt or uncertainty remain in our minds about the things we know. For the beautiful face of truth, ſhall in a momen… be unvailed to us, and the curtain drawn away by the hand of God, which interpoſed between us and the light; ſo that, there ſhall not any miſt or darkneſs, not any doubt or ſcruple hang in our minds about any truth.
And thus we may anſwer that of the Apoſtle (1 Cor. 13.8.) ſaying, That in heaven, Knowledge ſhall vaniſh away. What, nothing but ignorance in heaven? Surely, nothing more unſutable to, nor unbecoming the glory of that ſtate. Ignorance may better be the Mother of Devotion here (as Papiſts with ignorance enough have affirmed) than in heaven the companion of our joy. The Apoſtle then means, that ſuch knowledge as now we have, ſhall vaniſh, that is, knowledge ſo gotten as now it is. In heaven there are no Schools, nor Univerſities, nor Tutors, nor Teachers. Again, Knowledge of ſo imperfect a degree as now it is of, ſhall vaniſh away; The knowledge which Solomon had on earth, will be but ignorance, compared to the knowledge which the Saints have and ſhall have in heaven; His largeneſs of heart (though like the ſand of the ſea) will be but narrowneſs of heart, compared with the enlargements which Saints ſhall have there. Glorified Saints ſhall be in natural things exact Philoſophers, able to anſwer all the queſtions here put to Job. In ſpiritual things they ſhall be exact Divines; all dark Scriptures ſhall be clear to them; Ch…iſt will be their Comment: all da…k queſtions will be clear to them; Chriſt will be their light. Thoſe perplexed Caſes and fatal Controverſies which have troubled the peace of the Church, and have occaſioned the calling together of ſome hundreds of the ableſt Scholars to debate and determine them, ſhall at one view be underſtood, ſhall have all their knots untied, and their difficulties removed by the meaneſt (if among them there ſhall be found any meaner than others) of glorified underſtandings. What ſweetneſs the ſoul ſhall feel at this revelation of all knowledge, a little knowledge will ſerve to judge: For then not only to this challenge which the Lord made to Job, about thoſe ſpecial matters, the gates of death, and the breadth of the earth; but alſo to any other, Declare if thou knoweſt it all, Every ſoul will readily and confidently anſwer, Lord, in thy light I know it all.